


Alone

by Aryagraceling



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo Fills [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Hurt No Comfort, Season 8 compliant, backhand slap, referenced breakup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 06:17:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20077534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aryagraceling/pseuds/Aryagraceling
Summary: Keith came back.He regrets that decision.





	Alone

**Author's Note:**

> For BTHB prompt Backhand Slap.
> 
> Curtis exists and is <s>unfortunately</s> Shiro's fiance.

“I really don’t know why you invited me here, Shiro.” Keith’s head tips back against the outer wall of the pavilion, braid catching on the rough brick as he crosses his arms with a sigh. “I’m happy for you, but I don’t know what purpose I serve.”

“Being my friend?” Shiro says. “We were the black paladins, it was a whole thing?” He waves his hand in a circle between them and risks a smile before dropping it when Keith doesn’t say a thing. “Listen, if you don’t want to come to my wedding, you could have said no.”

“Of course I’d come,” Keith snaps. “It’s _you.”_

“Keith.”

“Sorry,” he says. Ants file in a line on the ground as his eyes drop, unwilling to settle on the man he’s loved for fuck knows how long now. It was always so simple among the stars, even when they were falling from grace to a planet long forsaken. 

_You’re my brother._

_I love you._

That had been enough, until it wasn’t. For a long time, the Blades had kept him busy and distracted from the fact that Shiro was on Earth and he was out among the vast emptiness. Shiro wasn’t _his _anymore, so why did it really matter? Kolivan had stopped the sporadic updates upon finding that Keith did not appreciate it, which had been much appreciated, but then a message from Shiro himself had come through.

_I’m getting married in two months. I’d love to see you there._

Now here he is, and Keith scuffs his foot through the colony’s line to disrupt their lives the way Shiro disrupted his. “Are you happy?” he finally asks. His fingers tremble with the urge to bury them in the white strands he’s longed for for so long, but he keeps them fisted firmly in his shirt as Shiro chuckles mirthlessly.

“Curtis is a good man,” he says. “I’ll be proud to call him husband.”

“But are you happy?”

“Of course I am,” Shiro says.

Keith nods, the feeling behind the trembling fading from want to the beginnings of rage. _Of course he is. _Why wouldn’t he be? He’s got a cozy job, a cozy fiance, a cozy _life. _

Keith is left with his duties.

Shiro leans closer, like that’s going to do him any good. He still smells the way Keith remembers, clean and earthy as he rests an elbow on Keith’s shoulder. “Are _you _happy?”

“The Blades are doing good work. I’m proud.”

“Yeah, but a–”

“I said I’m proud, Shiro, I don’t need to be anything more than that.”

Shiro sighs and steps in front of him, blocking his view of the setting sun. It lights his hair the same way it had lit up back on the facility, when falling for him was an actual, physical act. “I thought it might be easier for you, since it’s been a while, you know?”

“Yeah, well don’t put feelings on me like that. What do you expect me to say, that we’re _pals? _No, not after _everything _we’ve been through.” Keith shoves his jaw forward and tries to bite his tongue, but once that’s out, the words don’t stop. “I left to help people, and you decided that I wasn’t worth following.”

“That’s not–”

“Don’t,” Keith clips, swallowing hard. “I missed you, and you didn’t care anymore.” His veins burn with the an unspoken _I’d still love you _and his lip curls as he scowls at Shiro’s chest. “I’ll just go. It was good to see you again.” He starts forward, but Shiro doesn’t move. “I said I’ll go.”

“You’re not the Keith you were, are you?” Shiro says softly, and it’s the heartbreak in his voice that stirs Keith to action. 

He snarls just before his hand comes up to connect with Shiro’s cheek in a _smack _that almost echoes across the concrete. “Of course I’m not! You don’t _know _me anymore!”

Regret flashes through him the instant Shiro’s fingers fly to the red mark on his face. “You’re right,” Shiro says. “I don’t.” His eyes flick over Keith’s face before he frowns. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Keith. Maybe it _would _be best if you go.”

Keith opens his mouth to speak before thinking better of it and brushing past the man who can no longer matter. Shiro’s standing tall when he risks a glance back, still staring at the brick as he listens to Keith walk away. He’ll deal with the fallout from everyone else later, but right now he needs to get away. With any luck, the cabin is still standing and he can stay there for the night.

Alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments always read and _very_ much appreciated, and I always do my best to get back to them ❤️
> 
> You can also find me lurking and yelling about fictional characters on:  
[Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/aryagraceling)  
[Discord](https://discord.gg/cM8FaND)  
[Tumblr](https://aryagraceling.tumblr.com)  
[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/601270063618951)


End file.
